Shopping for jewelry can be lots of fun; however, this can also be extremely stressful if you’re aiming to purchase an expensive jewelry piece. There are dozens of types of materials that are used to make different pieces of jewelry, and they each come with a different price tag. An uneducated customer might pay too much. Read this article for wise tips for making your next purchase in the jewelry department.

Do not clean your jewelry with chemicals such as bleach or ammonia. Natural acids won’t erode the enamel on your copper jewelry the way harsh chemicals can.

Jewelry should be stored in an air-tight and humid free area. A drawstring bag or closed box offers the best protection from moisture in the air. Humidity and air tends to cause precious and non-precious metals to tarnish. Tarnish can be removed from precious metals like gold and silver, but they cannot be removed from other metals.

Fair Price

A piece of jewelry should be long lasting. Go to a dealer you can trust to make sure you get a quality item at a fair price. High-quality jewelry can be told by its superior craftsmanship and good manufacture. The jeweler must be able to provide a history of the piece. This will tell you who made the piece, and where the components came from. This way, you can ensure you are paying a fair price. Making sure that it is high-quality will ensure that it lasts forever.

Always shop around when buying a diamond. Get up close to inspect the diamond carefully. Make a comparison with other pieces you have looked at. Be aware that some dealers will use cheap tactics to make a diamond look better than it is.

Study current jewelry trends prior to shopping for a piece. The only thing that beats getting a new piece of jewelry is getting it for a discounted price!

Ask about a jeweler’s insurance policy before buying anything. These policies dictate whether or not the jeweler will replace or fix your item of jewelry if it is damaged. Some stores even insure jewelry against loss or theft.

To help maintain its appearance, take good care of it to keep it from getting tarnished. When wearing your jewelry, you should avoid exposure to water. A lot of metals will rust, tarnish or dull when they come in contact with water. A single coat of transparent nail polish may help protect certain types of metal.

Costume Jewelry

You should ensure the quality of the pieces of costume jewelry that you purchase for your collection. Costume jewelry, while expensive, can be a great investment. However, if a piece shows wear it will lose value. A piece in good condition will be much more resourceful to you in the future.

Always remove your jewelry before swimming. Jewelry can be damaged by strong chemicals like chlorine, making your pieces less shiny and durable. Saltwater is equally damaging to your precious jewels. You can extend the longevity of your pieces and keep their beauty intact by removing them prior to swimming.

The high price of gold could cause you to pass up a piece of jewelry you really want. If you decide you must have real gold jewelry, you may want to save money on the karats instead. For example, a piece that is classed as 18 karat is a minimum of 75% pure gold. This is felt, by many, to be the best value for money when comparing quality to price.

You can make money from any gold bracelets and necklaces you have, without having to sell your entire pieces. By removing several inches of excess material, you will be able to sell a small amount of gold while still having enough of the piece to wear. If it is real gold and you have a few chains, you can make a few hundred dollars by just shortening the pieces.

This jewelry common sense applies to everything from rings to watches to cufflinks, use it wisely. Keep this advice in mind to save some money and time next time you go jewelry shopping.